


Fanbruary 2019

by EveandJohnny



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989), Digimon Adventure tri., Marvel Cinematic Universe, Other people's OCs - Fandom, Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 01:59:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18955630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveandJohnny/pseuds/EveandJohnny
Summary: This is the collection of pieces made during Fanbruary and originally published on Tumblr. With them, I wanted to say thank you to the addressed people for making such fantastic art that I'll never get bored of.





	1. The Hat Show

**Author's Note:**

> For CitrusCactus, based on the Takeru Hat Project (http://citrus-cactus.tumblr.com/post/174581713594/all-hats-head-coverings-worn-by-takeru-takaishi).

„Hiya Yamato, it’s me, your most beloved brother!“ Takeru said after Yamato had accepted his call.

Yamato sighed and said “I know, I saw it on the display.”

“Well, aren’t you curious why I called?” Takeru sounded particularly chirpy.

“You will tell me in a second, I guess.” Yamato rolled his eyes.

“True, true. I need your help. I have to move out of my apartment because the owner declared personal needs. Thankfully, I have already found a new place, not too far from yours actually. The only thing I don’t have yet is someone to help me move all my stuff. That’s where you come into play. You still owe me a favour after I helped your band move into a new rehearsal room.”

Yamato only muttered through gritted teeth. His little brother was right but that didn’t mean he would be jumping with joy.

“Was that a yes? I had expected a bit more ecstasy; we’ll be closer again after all.”

“Hrmpf. Whatever. Okay, baby brother, I’ll help you.”

“Wonderful. Taichi has already accepted by the way. Toodles, Yama!”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Yamato asked, but Takeru had already hung up. Yamato eyed his mobile phone with disbelief, shook his head and then put it back on the table. For one reason or another, the first one that came Takeru to mind was not his own brother but his girlfriend’s. And hadn’t he said he didn’t have anyone to help yet? Years ago, he might have found this agitating but by now Taichi was already extended family, both as theoretical brother-in-law for Takeru and a third half for himself - if you counted Sora as Yamato’s second (better) half.

Because of this, Yamato just shrugged. He looked down when his phone buzzed again with a message from Takeru, stating when exactly the move was going to happen. From the table he grabbed a pen and marked the date in his calendar. Then he gathered everything he needed to go grocery shopping.

***

On Wednesday morning Yamato’s alarm went off earlier than usual. He groaned and buried his head under the pillow, then suddenly jerked up as he remembered that today was the day he would help Takeru move his belongings.

Unfortunately, Yamato slept in a loft bunk. Which he had forgotten in the heat of the moment. “Ouch”, he whimpered and rubbed the hurting spot on the back of his head.

When the pain subsided a little, he rolled around on his back and robbed to the ladder, cautiously taking rung after rung. Before he had coffee he was prone to be a hazard to himself.

After a crucial cup of that life-donating hot beverage and a hearty bowl of rice with tofu he set off to Takeru’s apartment.

“Hey Yamato! Fantastic that you’re here!” his brother called from out of the open window above his head. He just waved as an answer and climbed the stairs after Takeru had buzzed the door open.

Takeru opened the door and drew him into a quick hug. Yamato’s eyes went wide when he saw all the cardboard boxes stacked in the rooms as he looked over Takeru’s shoulder.

“Bro, how much have you assembled? You just lived here for a year.”

Takeru shrugged. “I was surprised myself. But look on the bright side: I have packed up everything already, you just have to carry it down.”

“Yeah, four stories down. And up again to get more.”

“But you have been working out lately, haven’t you? Shouldn’t be a problem. Though you can’t keep up with Taichi.”

Yamato sputtered. “What do you mean? And how come you are so well informed about Taichi’s shape?”

Instead of answering, Takeru pointed to a lonesome picture of Hikari that still hung on the wall.

“I don’t have to understand this?”

“Well, sometimes we do compare your progress with his. And you’re lagging way behind” Takeru said with a smirk.

“Hey!” Yamato shoved him playfully against the wall. “If you’re saying much more I’ll turn on my heel and you can only rely on your oh-so-jacked Taichi.”

“So you’re finally admitting I’m brawnier than you?” someone called from the door and you could already hear the glee in his voice.

The brothers turned to see a widely-grinning Taichi leaning in the doorway.

“How did you get in here?” Yamato asked bewildered.

Taichi held out his flat palm with a key, saying “Hikari’s.”

Yamato just shook his head. “Back to the main topic: let’s get those boxes out of here. By the way, how do we get all those boxes away?”

“I came with a van” Taichi answered.

“Oh, okay. Well, let’s go!” Yamato said because he didn’t like just standing around doing nothing. He grabbed one of the boxes that was surprisingly light even though it looked to be filled to the brim. He risked a glance into it and stopped in his tracks, causing Taichi to ram his box into Yamato’s back.

“Sorry, man, but you seemed so eager to go and now you don’t want to walk out?” Taichi asked with a chuckle.

Just acknowledging his apology with a nod, Yamato turned around. “Takeru?” he asked, his voice trailing out. “How many hats do you have? These are - thirty?”

Takeru laughed. “Yeah, there are twenty-eight in there. But this is only one box. There are two more with the same number.”

“There are what?” Yamato and Taichi repeated in unison.

Taichi quickly calculated. “You have eighty-four hats?”

Takeru nodded unfazed. For him, this didn’t sound out of the extraordinary. “Yeah, for every occasion one. You want to see them?”

“Sure” Taichi said just when Yamato rejected “But not here.” The other two regarded him with a quizzical look. “I mean, let’s pack up everything here and then have a bit of fun in your new apartment.”

Takeru shot him the finger guns. “You’re right. That’s why you’re the more sensible from the two of us.” He snatched another cardboard box and nodded towards the door.

Before they all left, Yamato asked “You have the keys?”

Takeru nodded and so they proceeded down the stairs.

***

When all boxes were packed up in the van, Taichi, Takeru and Yamato got into it and Taichi drove them to the new apartment. It was situated in a quieter area than Takeru had lived before and, indeed, Yamato’s place was only a few blocks away.

Repeating the procedure from earlier, though in reversed order, they filled the new apartment with all cardboard boxes (Yamato had counted - there were twenty in total) and Takeru’s furniture.

After they were done, the doorbell rang and a few minutes later Hikari had climbed the stairs, balancing a tray with a tall food cover on it that augured a very promising cake.

Takeru welcomed her with a kiss, Taichi lifted her off her feet and Yamato hugged her quickly.

“I see you brought cake” Taichi exclaimed cheerfully and wanted to lift the cover off but Hikari batted his hand away.

“Later, after our work here is done.”

“What do you mean? You want to clear all those boxes today?” Yamato looked around incredulously, imagining the bulk of things they’d have to put into place. 

“Sure. That’s why I brought help.” She went back to the apartment door and called down the staircase. Only a couple of seconds later it sounded like a stampede of wild animals running up the stairs. Hikari stepped beside to let the rest of the DigiDestined pour into the apartment. Taichi, Takeru and Yamato were a little taken aback but had hardly time to catch their breath, mostly because Mimi was at the forefront and ran up to them to draw them into a strong hug you would have never anticipated from such a petite person. Now that she lived in Kyoto she didn’t meet them as regularly as she used to.

“Oh boys, I’m so glad to see you again!” she squealed and pecked their cheeks.

“Yeah, good to see you, too. Though I didn’t expect you to be helping in a move” Takeru said a bit carelessly.

Mimi gave him her most disappointed pout. “How long do we know each other now? Of course you need someone for impeccable decorating! As your girlfriend is apparently much wiser than you she immediately thought of me and she has never been more right before! Though if you don’t mind I will wait in the kitchen until the hard work is done here. I would just get in the way but with the rest of the gang you have more than enough hands to get through everything quickly.” She smiled sweetly and danced out of the living room, a trace of flowery perfume trailing behind her.

Takeru and Yamato looked at each other, inhaling sharply but smiling after they had held their breath while the hurricane that was Mimi Tachikawa had raged. They nodded at the same time, Yamato saying “alright”, and then he picked up the coffee table Sora had made out of old books and willow twigs and gifted to Takeru on his last birthday.

***

Hikari had been right. With the many helping hands the whole undertaking was done in the rest of the afternoon and so the move had cost Takeru just one day. Now there were only the three boxes with hats left.

“So, Takeru, now I’m really curious. Show us your hat collection” Yamato said as he took a bite from Hikari’s strawberry cheesecake.

“Alright, y’all ready for a smoking hat fashion show?” Takeru replied and winked, hoping that people got the pun.

Taichi and Yamato exchanged an amused glance while Jou looked utterly confused and Hikari buried her face in her hand, sighing loudly.

Mimi, in her best cheerleading manner, started clapping her hands rhythmically and chanted “Takeru! Takeru!”

Takeru bowed. “At least one is as excited as I am. Okay, here we go. Our first model looks simple at first glance in its reserved off-white without any accessories. But by putting it on with the shield backwards and combined with a charming smile this cap becomes a cheeky and necessary addition to every young gentleman’s wardrobe.”

Taichi laughed boisterously when Takeru put it on and paraded before them.

Sora had gotten up and rummaged through one of the boxes. “Takeru” she called, holding up another hat “what about this one?”

She tossed it to him and he caught it with ease, changing this one with the white hat in one smooth motion. “This one is a bolder statement. Not everyone can pull off a watermelon print - but with the brown background colour it’s still a go-to choice for a relaxed stroll through the city.”

“Are you still sure you want to write novels? Because I’m pretty sure you would find work at basically every fashion magazine. You have the right flowery vocabulary for it” Mimi said in earnest and nodded to emphasize her words.

Takeru bowed before her. “Thank you for your advice. I might even consider it.” He winked, then trolled the next hat from the box. “This is a classier hat, based on the famous bowler hats from English gentlemen, but with a wider brim and nicely contrasted with a black velvet band. The two metal stars give it a juvenile air.”

“Okay, but how do you justify this monstrosity?” Yamato had joined Sora to poke around the hat boxes. He stared at his find in disbelief.

“How dare you call this a monstrosity? I worked thirty hours at this!” Sora exclaimed feignedly snubbed.

Yamato turned to his girlfriend with wide eyes. “Oh, uh, sorry. I didn’t know you had made this. But how? Why?”

Takeru came over and snatched it from Yamato’s hand. With a spaced-out smile he felt the soft fabric that resembled a particularly otherworldly galaxy. It was adorned with a lace band and a bronze-coloured brooch but the most outstanding feature of it was its shape. It was that of a wizard’s hat. “Yeah, that was one of your masterpieces, Sora.” Then he looked at Yamato, gaze gone clear again. “This was the cherry on top of my trip to the theatre. I played Dumbledore in the performance of ‘Harry Potter’ that our Fantasy course put on last semester.” He coughed, made a dramatic pause and then yelled, throwing his hands into the air and pretending to swish a cloak behind him, “Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of-“

“-Fire?” the DigiDestined shouted back in unison. There was a second of silence and then everybody erupted into vigorous laughter.

Mimi was wheezing. After she had caught a bit of air again she gasped “They we’re so right with casting you as Dumbledore. You really have a flamboyant air to you.” She wiped tears out of her eyes.

“Absolutely. Maybe you should become a playwright instead of a novel writer”, Yamato suggested.

“Or be a part-time actor while still writing your novels. You’d be great” Sora confirmed.

Takeru bowed before them all, pretending to blush deeply. “Your praise flatters me, but my desired career cannot be changed.”

Hikari walked up to him and pecked him on the cheek. “Don’t worry, I would never try to change your mind.”

“Uh, of course, my angel of a sister has to save the day” Taichi remarked mockingly, but his smile actually expressed that he was still proud of her. He looked around. The bubbly excitement from only a few moments ago had died down, instead they were content to be quietly in the company of their friends. Only Meiko was missing, she was out of the country for a semester. That made his heart a little melancholic but otherwise it couldn’t get much better than it was now.


	2. Sweet, sweet, sweet!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Sketchesandnonsense, based on this post: http://sketchesandnonesense.tumblr.com/post/170332113321/lets-eat-cake-3

 The bell over the door chimed. As I entered I basically walked into a wall of sugar smell, mixed with those of fruits and an undertone of vanilla. I blinked a moment to take in the pink interior: curved wooden chairs with plush pillows and low round tables adorned with white flowers.

"How can I help you?” someone with a melodic voice asked suddenly over at the counter. I lifted my head and looked into the most joyous face I’ve seen today which was a wonder because outside there were three degrees at best with the rain falling like a curtain. Her big green eyes were wide open and she smiled broadly.

Instantly buzzed up by that smile I took a step forward to survey all the cakes behind the glass pane. “What can you recommend?” I looked at her again, smiling. “By the way, that dress is absolutely gorgeous!” I said and nodded towards her pink halter-neck dress dotted with lots of soft rosé-coloured spots. 

“Oh, you really think?” She blushed heavily, adding even more pink to the scenery, and then twirled her big body around, causing the wide skirt to describe a circle and nearly tossing over an empty bowl. It wobbled dangerously on the counter but before it could fall down she noticed it, muttered a cute “Whoopsie daisys” and stopped it in its motion. Then she turned back to me. “Anyway, where were we?”

“We were talking about cake recommendations” I replied. “You seem the absolute expert for it.” I meant it in a professional manner - I assumed that she had baked all those cakes - but once the words were out I realized they also could be understood in a disparaging way - namely that she was eating a lot of cake.

I pursed my lips and was about to apologize when she said “Nah, I wouldn’t say that. I like to bake, yeah, and I very much like to eat cake, as you can see-“ she laughed and patted her round hips “-but I’m not a professional. This little café here is just my passion.”

“That doesn’t look like ‘just a passion’. You seem to be investing a lot of time and lifeblood into it.”

She nodded. “Yeah, that’s true. I started two years ago, and at first it took off like a rocket. People were basically bombarding me but that quickly died down and it looked as if I’ve made the wrong decision. But now I have a fair number of customers every day and it works pretty well.”

Though I’ve never met her before - I was just passing through this town and had a few hours to kill before my next train was due - I was very glad to hear that. She seemed to deserve all the good in the world.

“I’m talking too much again, ain’t I?” Before I could protest she continued. “You were asking about cake recommendations. Okay, so here we have a Grape Cake with yoghurt, served chilled it’s the best for a warm day - which is not today so maybe for another occasion. Mmh, let’s see.” She circled her finger above all the delicacies displayed. Some were made with strawberries, oranges or other fruits, some were really intricately decorated. “Ah yes, I have just the right thing for you on this yucky day: a warm Chocolate Lava Cake. If you don’t mind waiting that is. I have them frozen up so I need to bake them first.” She lifted her head and quizzically looked at me.

I quickly thought about this offer, checked my watch and then nodded fiercely. “Yes, that sounds fantastic! I still have time at my hands.” Then my smile took a turn to the playful. “And if you don’t have important things to do I would be happy if you joined me.”

Her face slowly lit up, the frown made way for the electric smile with which she had welcomed me in the very beginning. “Really? Because, to be honest, I was a bit bored before you walked in. You are my first costumer today.”

“Well, it’s settled then. And if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to have a cup of black tea with that.”

She clapped her hands. “Coming right up!”


	3. February 14th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For FizzingWizard, based on the fic "Izumi Koushirou and the Splendiferous Valentine's Day Shindig Whose Splendor Was So Diferous It Ought To Be Immortalized In Song (alternate title: "Why Everyone Hates February")".

   February 14th dawns bright and sunny - but it cannot fool Koushirou. As he is eating his breakfast he feels the presence of Taichi’s  _handwritten_ invitation burning in his back as it sits on the counter behind him. Involuntarily, he imagines Taichi stately reigning over the Valentine’s party in a white tuxedo, shaking hands with every new student coming into the room. Koushirou’s hands start to tremble violently because surely, as it is Taichi’s tendency, he would look incredibly dashing in this tux, all bright smiles and electric hair tips. Koushirou shakes himself. No, he has a whole school day ahead where his woobles cannot possibly get in the way. And preferably not ever again.

   The school day goes surprisingly smooth, if you conveniently forget about the notorious couples that seem to spring on Koushirou from every corner in every break. In the end, he has mastered the art of dodging them by leaving the class rooms even before they do. 

   But this has all been for the birds when Koushirou makes his way to the gym (Taichi would have also taken the big arena a couple of blocks away if it hadn’t been too expensive.) From every new hallway joining the one leading to the auditorium couples stream, the modest ones only having linked their arms, the more annoying planting kisses over each other’s faces, barely moving and blocking the way of the innocent. Which Koushirou counts himself to, mostly to keep a facade to himself. But at the back of his mind there is the distressing thought that he could do  _both_ , slobbering Taichi’s beautiful face while still walking a straight line and not disrupting the natural order. He shivers. Surely it’s the obscenely flowery smell wafting through the halls that causes these un-Koushirou-like thoughts.

  When he finally enters the gym he does become an obstacle for others to manoeuvre around after all. Planted like a tree, he stands in the doorway and stares. He cannot do anything else. Pink explodes in front of his face, the place is drowning in paper streamers in various shades of the colour and from every possible surface blink cut-out hearts.

  Maybe Koushirou has a hidden talent of forecasting the future or maybe he just knows Taichi too well -  his assumption was right. Taichi is indeed flaunting a white tuxedo with a bright pink bow-tie and when he spots Koushirou he comes over, his walk a wild mixture of a I-know-I-look-amazing-swagger and childlike ecstasy about both the party being better than expected and seeing Koushirou in particular.

  “Kou! I’m so glad you came.” He smiles dazzlingly and clasps his hands on either of Koushirou’s shoulders, sending a 100.000 volt lightning bolt through the sixth-graders body.

  Koushirou goes immediately rigid as he stammers “Yeah, well, I, er, couldn’t possibly ignore your invitation. You, uh, wrote it yourself. That must have taken ages.” It’s easy to find confidence in sarcasm, this is familiar territory. Still, Koushirou feels bad that Taichi is the target of his sarcasm. This is not how you convince the source of your woobles to admit that they feel the same.

  Yet Taichi seems to be undisturbed by it. He still smiles as if he wanted to eclipse that traitor of a sun that had gone, of course, immediately into hiding when Koushirou had stepped out of his apartment this morning. With an arm draped around Koushirou’s neck, he guides him through the throngs of people.

  “I’m so proud how all this turned out. Look, I have fireworks on every table but the best thing I got my hands on is that soda fountain over there!” He indicates a monstrous crystalline fountain that spurts bubbly strawberry flavoured lemonade and stands on a big table in the middle of the gym.

  Before Koushirou can reply a large and stupid something barrels into him from behind. “Taichi, I finally found you!”  Daisuke yells while he absentmindedly steadies Koushirou.

  A cold shiver runs down Koushirou’s back when he spots the mandarin oranges basket, adorned with a big blue ribbon, in Daisuke’s hands. Oh God, he thinks, Daisuke has acted on his threats after all.

  “Taichi, can I talk to you for a moment?” Daisuke says in a pace Koushirou would have hardly understood if he hadn’t had years of practice doing so.

  “Oh hey, Daisuke, nice that you came. Sorry, I don’t have time just now. The DJ must be here any minute.” With that, Taichi hurries back to the entrance door.

  “Hey Koushirou, thanks again for the advice with the fruit basket. After a bit of thought, it’s actually a really good idea. And I’ve also prepared a song. After a bit of digging I found a really nice country love song.” Daisuke gives him a well-meant pat on the back that nearly sends him staggering into the next table where two fellow sixth graders are feeding each other the halves of a steggy bear.

  So he indeed wants to opt for public humiliation over on the karaoke stand Koushirou had spotted when he had entered.

  Suddenly there is a hushed whisper sweeping through the attending students. Heads turn to the stage and someone plucks at Koushirou’s sleeve, then indicates the person standing on it.

  He does look like a DJ, with baggy clothing, big headphones and an oversized cap. But then he swings his hips in a seductive manner and throws his cap into the audience. There are a few excited cheers but most students are too stunned to speak. Koushirou doesn’t grasp at first what is going on. Why should a DJ behave like this? And where is his equipment? The only music at the moment comes from a boom box, it has a thumping bass and something lewd to it.

  He lets his gaze roam and sees Yamato and Sora speak softly to each other, faces red but Koushirou can’t tell if it’s second-hand embarrassment or anger. A little further stands Jou, midway frozen in nibbling on a piece of chocolate, while Miyako watches him like a tiger on the prowl.

  A sudden “Yagami” shout rings through the gym. Heads turn again to the entrance door where their fuming headmistress stands. Out of the corner of the eye Koushirou sees a speck of white disappearing behind the drawn curtains. The headmistress must have seen it, too, because she comes charging through the students who willingly step out of the way.

  “Oh no, I’ve missed again the opportunity to tell him that I love him” Daisuke moans, disappointedly eyeing the basket in his hands.  He looks helplessly around, then thrusts it into Koushirou’s hands and snakes his way through the crowds.

  By now, the teachers have persuaded the stripper to come down. Koushirou can only speculate, but in his rush to make the gaudiest party the school has ever seen, Taichi has probably called a stripper DJ instead of a real one. Though it doesn’t do anything to dampen the mood here. While he observes his happy peers again, he absentmindedly picks a mandarin orange and starts to peel it.


	4. Reign Of Cats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For rooonil_waazlib, based on this: https://rooonil-waazlib.tumblr.com/post/172767044447/thats-steve-bucky-tells-him-pointing-to-the.

It’s a lazy Sunday morning for Bucky and Steve. Even though their looks suggest the opposite they’re both old men so their ideal Saturday evening consists of a movie (they have a lot to catch up to) and a shared bottle of wine. Still, it had gotten a little late last night and so they enjoy sleeping in today.

As usual, they had been joined by a few of their cats. Springfield 1903, Chevy and Arkansas had huddled in-between the two and Cat Steve had made herself comfortable around Human Steve’s head.

Suddenly the mattress shifts when another cat jumps on the bed, stirring the others to life. Bucky pops one eye open to look what is going on. The cats become more energetic by the second. “Folks, what is the problem?” he mutters, wiping his hair out of his eyes and slowly propping himself up on his elbows.

The Duchess, who had intruded in their peaceful slumber, jumps back down and casts one glance back as if ordering Bucky to follow her. He sighs, folds back the duvet and pads after her on bare feet.

When he gets to the apartment door he is greeted by an odd sight: Most of the cats that had not been sleeping on their bed are assembled around it. Some are hissing at the door, others sit there expectantly waiting.

Bucky carefully treads his way through the bulk of cats; by now he has mastered the art of doing this without stepping on their tails. He opens the door a few inches wide. Immediately, the hissing increases. Lizard sets up to jump out, claws poised, but Bucky is quick enough to stop her. Instead of attacking what is behind the door, she tries to sink her teeth into his metal arm.

He finally looks outside. And blinks. Natasha grins broadly at him, dangling a basket filled with exquisite breakfast dishes. But that is not what has agitated the cats so much, Bucky suspects. He figures that it is Clint, and more specifically Clint’s dog. Both are standing behind Natasha. The dog, covered in thick honey-coloured fur and his shoulder reaching up to Clint’s thigh, is sniffing constantly but otherwise stays quiet and cautios.

“Good morning Bucky! What do you think about brunch?” Natasha asks beaming.

Bucky blinks again, then shrugs. “Doesn’t sound too bad. But why didn’t you ring?”

“We tried” Clint answers, “But apparently your bell is broken. We’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes.”

“Oh, okay.” Bucky scratches the back of his head. “But I don’t know what we should do about the dog.” He glances back behind the door. Julius Caesar has lost interest by now and is cleaning herself. But Mrs Nesbitt still scratches furiously at the door.

“Why - oh, do you have a cat? Sorry, I didn’t know that. I’ll, uh, leave him with Rhodey. He’s always happy to see Boris.” Clint pats his dog’s head and turns to lead him towards Stark’s quarters.

Bucky and Natasha watch him walk away. Suddenly someone says behind Bucky’s shoulder “Oh hey, Nat. Nice to see you.” Steve smiles lopsided, cat Steve wrapped around his neck like a shawl. He spots the breakfast basket. “Apple Pie, with cinnamon crust! Nat, you’re amazing! Come in.” He gestures her inside.

Bucky chuckles and prevents the cats from escaping out of the room. He takes the basket from Natasha and instead gives her Chevy.

“D’you have a cat for me, too?” Clint asks as he slips in behind her.


	5. Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For born-deaf-blind-and-numb, based on this: http://born-deaf-blind-and-numb.tumblr.com/post/162196521474/it-took-a-hot-second-to-figure-out-who-i-thought.

_Carpe diem. Carpe diem. Carpe diem._

He repeated the words over and over in his head, thinking of the teacher that had filled them with meaning, with love. The teacher was long gone, as was the group of friends he had shared the words with. But the words, they were still here. Hung in the air like moths, lazily fluttering around, sitting on his hair and his scratching pullover.

When he was sad, he repeated the words.

When the sky cried, he repeated the words.

When the sun burnt his skin, he repeated the words.

When the snow laid his cover over the world, he repeated the words.

They had given him strength when all strength had gone, hope when all hope had been lost, and even love when there was no one there to love him.

He had carved them into his skin with a needle and a lighter, along with the name he had once given himself but has been nearly forgotten now.

_Nuwanda._


	6. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For florencetheflowerfairy, based on this: https://florencetheflowerfairy.tumblr.com/post/173662182469/almost.

There was peace all around. She felt the peace in her heart, the soft glow felt like a warm pillow that engulfed her. Or like a lazy stream where she floated everywhere or nothing. A brief touch, like a feather. A gentle breeze, like a summer wind.  Her eyes were closed, she enjoyed the silence.

Suddenly a flash tore through her mind, a picture from a time gone by. With a deep gulp she came back to life, her eyes flew open and she pawed at the soft glow surrounding her. “Meiko!” she cried. Why did she have to leave?


	7. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For gutterballgt, a Chaleigh AU based on a dream I had some years ago.

As a bright ring of light descended from the sky, Chuck knew he was doomed. The angels had found him. Everything else around him lost its glow as the light was absorbed into the halo. Then the angel stepped from the portal, spear poised and feathery wings spread. 

   He knew he couldn’t escape but he wouldn’t go down without a fight. He raised his hands and let flames lick around his fingers.

   The angel, blonde, blue-eyed and outrageously handsome, smirked. “Do you really think I’m intimated by your little fire?” he asked with a sonorous voice as smooth as velvet. Then he pointed his spear at him and Chuck was violently jerked into the air. His hands and feet were tied by invisible bands. He only managed to glare viciously at the angel.

   “I want to ask one thing from you before you take my magic” he uttered through gritted teeth. The angel nodded. By now he was floating on the same level as Chuck. “What is your name?”

   The angel leaned forward and gripped the fabric right above Chuck’s heart. He screamed in pain as the angel forced his magic out of him yet his body fought to keep it with all its might. As the last drops were about to leave him the angel whispered, danger lurking in his voice “My name is Raleigh.”  
   Just when he had spoken the last syllable he found Chuck’s lips on his own. Raleigh’s eyes went wide; he groaned in agony and lost the grip on Chuck’s caftan. As none of them had powers anymore, they couldn’t stop their fall when gravity forced them back to the ground.

   They lay only a few inches apart from each other, quietly whimpering. All the light that had surrounded the angel had gone out. So in full darkness, their sobs slowly fading, they fell asleep. 

***

Chuck was the first to wake up in the morning. Dawn sluggishly crept up the hills as he sat up and looked around in search of something to eat. If he still had his powers he would just conjure something but that was not possible anymore. So he got on his feet, his whole body still aching as if he’d run a hundred miles, and inspected their surroundings.

With fists full of raspberries and small radishes he came back to the place where Raleigh was still sleeping. In the soft glow of the dawn he looked even more beautiful than in the cold light that usually surrounded angels. Then Chuck remembered. Raleigh wasn’t an angel anymore, just like he wasn’t a mage. He took a deep breath, dropped some food beside Raleigh’s sleeping form, and went down the hill.

Even though he desperately wanted to he couldn’t hate Raleigh. He might have been an angel but definitely one of the lower ranks. One to fulfil orders. If he had refused to this order of stripping Chuck from his magic, he would have suffered a fate far worse than being turned into a human. So Chuck forgave him. He, too, would have opted for making a mage mortal when the alternative was burning in the hell fire for eternity. The only thing he wanted now was to forget him.

But he couldn’t. Those eyes, as blue as the colour the sky had when day turned into night, had burned themselves into his memory.

***

It has been a week since Raleigh had become a mortal. He roamed through the woods, infrequently dropping into the village closest to the hill where he met his fate to get food. People tried to talk to him, women and men alike stared at his beauty in awe but he escaped as quickly as he could. They would never understand him. He might not have the powers anymore but his mind was still that of an extraordinary being.

The idea had been nagging at his mind since the first new morning when he had found raspberries and radishes beside him. First, he had dismissed it. How could he want to seek the company of the very man that had made him human? But in the last days he had grown more restless and so found himself now on the way to the hut where the local mage lived, hoping that Chuck hadn’t abandoned it.

He knocked at the intricately carved door and held his breath. “Is that you Mako? I didn’t expect you to be here this early. Your potion is not rea- oh” Chuck had been calling. The “oh” dropped when he opened the door and didn’t see a petite black-haired woman standing before it but a bulky former angel who was even more attractive now that his clothing was slightly torn and there was a bit of dirt smudged on his bare skin. His expression went neutral. “How can I help you?”

“I, uh, you see” Raleigh began, then coughed and started anew. “You’re the only one who can understand what I’m going through.”

Chuck looked him up and down. Raleigh indeed mirrored his own confused and desperate state. So he nodded. “Come in then.”

***

It wasn’t long before Chuck noticed the changes. When he was out collecting ingredients for the potions some of the herbs stretched their heads in his direction. When he wanted to stir his mixtures the ladle eagerly laid itself into his hand. The same went for Raleigh. Chuck noticed the weak glimmer, first in Raleigh’s eyes and then around his whole body. Or the inkling of wings fluttering behind him when the two jogged through the woods.

Those changes were especially palpable when Chuck lay in Raleigh’s arms. He had found that of all places in the world this was his favourite, the beating of Raleigh’s heart his favourite sound and his sweet yet musky fragrance his favourite smell. In the last days he had to fight the urge to kiss Raleigh harder and harder.

One day, restraining himself became too much and so he rushed into the hut with the very clear intention to change this situation. What he hadn’t anticipated, however, was that Raleigh had the exact same intentions and came barrelling  _out_ of the hut. They met in the doorway, crashing into each other and holding each other steady until they regained their balance again. Like blind, Chuck’s mouth found Raleigh’s and held onto it as if it was the only source of air.

First he thought that only the kiss excited his nervous endings so much but when he risked a glance around Raleigh’s head to where his hands were holding it Chuck saw blue wisps of magic flurrying around it. Then he noticed the wide-spread wings that had pushed an empty clay jug off a shelf. Chuck waved his hand and the shards rose in the air, reassembled themselves and sat down on the shelf as an intact jug again. A wide grin spread on his face.

“Raleigh”, he whispered.

“Mmh” Raleigh mumbled back, his eyes still closed as he revelled in the taste of Chuck’s lips.

“Our powers are back.”

***

Alas, the joy didn’t last long. They both knew that they were back on the radar now and that the angels would be after them with doubled force. Chuck was a mage again, biggest threat to the angels, and Raleigh as a traitor had fallen from grace, maybe even more than Chuck had. For him, there never had been any grace to begin with.

And so the day came fast when the clouds spun together in an impenetrable tornado, when innumerable bolts of lightning split the sky and deafening thunders rolled over the country. Since morning, all life had sought refuge where it could.

Only Chuck and Raleigh stood outside, drenched to their bones but that only made them more determined.

Finally, the clouds opened to spill out blinding light onto the world. Winds that were coming straight from the bowels of hell swept across their faces but they had enough strength of their own to resist the reflex of closing their eyes. Than their antagonist descended. He was all golden shining armour, flowing white hair and regal attitude. But the patch over his right eye disrupted the perfect picture.

“Hannibal”, Raleigh greeted him through gritted teeth. Hannibal’s force pulled him into a bow but with the aid of Chuck’s warm hand in his own he managed to stand firm.

The angel Hannibal raised the eyebrow above his healthy eye. “Tststs, Raleigh, our best fighter. Secretly I’ve always admired you for your sometimes unorthodox methods. But now look at you, fallen in love with the enemy. How romantic!” His mocking voice dripped like syrup from his lips as he looked at him in what was supposed to be a fatherly manner.

Raleigh just snarled and stomped his spear, which had rematerialised after the kiss, on the ground. “You’re not here to make conversation. So just get bloody going!” he shouted.

Hannibal regarded him with fake pity. “If you wish.” He moved his hands in two circles in front of his face and the light beside him spiralled into arrows that raced at a deadly speed. Raleigh warded them off with his spear while Chuck raised his hands in one powerful motion. The earth opened beneath Hannibal’s feet and flames shot up. It was enough to coerce him upwards with a surprised cry. Then he managed to get his arrogant stance back. “Ha, mage, is that all you have?”

“Certainly not”, Chuck muttered determined while keeping a straight face. Holding up the flames with his left hand, he directed a coil of water towards them. When the water hit the fire the two elements fused together in a cloud of steam, robbing Hannibal of his sight and giving Chuck and Raleigh time to regroup.

A gust of wind swept the steam away and revealed a new set of arrows, more this time and their tips were blazing fiercely. Hannibal smirked again. With a lazy wave of his hand the arrows shot towards his enemies. They were just as quick, though. Raleigh conjured a circle of light with his spear which Chuck filled water. The amalgamated elements set off, the circle growing bigger and bigger until it completely engulfed the arrows. But it didn’t stop there. It flew further until it reached Hannibal and seemed to go through him.

As it dissolved into sparkles and little droplets, the light around Hannibal started to flicker. At first barely noticeable, did its intensity decrease quicker and quicker until the halo was gone entirely. Hannibal gripped the spot where normal people had their heart and screamed before the earth split up again, this time not to Chuck’s command but that of a higher power, and flames that were ten times as ferocious as the ones before pulled Hannibal into the pit.

When he was gone Chuck and Raleigh noticed that the sky was clearing. An eerie voice echoed through the woods “Naturally, angels and mages despise each other so the alliance between you is a complete novelty. We would normally try to blight such union but you have thought hard and won fair so we will no longer disturb you. Should you, however, try to rise against the angels one more time you will learn what it means to truly anger us.”

Raleigh and Chuck looked at each other. That seemed reasonable enough to them so they nodded. One last lightning bolt struck the sky, then the remaining clouds dissolved and nothing but sunshine adorned the blue sky.

As beautiful as this view was, Chuck happily turned to look at his personal piece of sky that managed to eclipse any natural beauty above them.


End file.
